Wire-fence.



' Patented Apr. 30, I90l. J. W. HAMMETT. WIRE FENCE.

Application filed Dec. 9, 18 99.)

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B) mi II v I "m: Nonms PETERS (10.. PHOTQAJTHO, w\smn u (No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. IIAMMETT, OF EUREKA, WEST VIRGINIA.

WIRE'FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 673,256, dated April 30, 1901.

Application filed December 9, 1899. Serial No. 789,824. (No model.)

To a. whom, it ntayconcern:

. Be it known that 1, JAMES W. HAMMETT, residing at Eureka, in the county of Pleasants and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Fence Construction, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of wire fences of that kind in which the strands are secured to end posts and intermediate picket members, and the said invention comprehends a novel form of stay or support for the fencing at points intermediate of the end posts of each section capable of being adj ustably set for a high or low fence and which can be readily elevated to take up the slack of the strands without the necessity of loosening the fastenings that secure the said strands to the post or to the pickets.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a portion of a wire fence constructed in accordance with my invention, the stay members being adjusted to provide for a high fence for horses or other large stock. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of a fence arranged as a low fence for small stock, the vertical adjustability of the stays being illustrated in dotted lines. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are detail views of the members for forming the adjustable stay hereinafter referred to.

In the practical construction my improved fence comprises generally posts 1 1, a series of intermediate pickets 2 2,intermediate posts 3, and the wire strands 4, which in the construction shown are made fast to the posts or to the stays by the clench members 5, which may be of any well-known construction.

To provide for conveniently and effectively taking up the slack of the fencesections and to avoid unnecessarily disconnecting the strands from the intermediate pickets or tightening up the flexible connections which secure the end pickets to the end posts, as well as for eifectively bracing the sections of the fence between the several posts, I provide a supplemental supporting post or stay, one or more of which can be used in each section of the fence, the peculiar construction of the a metal footpiece 15, which extends asuitable distance below the lower end of the part 14. The upper section l4 has a similar metal foot or extension 15*, that is made fast to the lower end of the said piece 14 and is adapted to be also detachably secured to the upper end of the lower section 14 of the said stay. The upper end of the supplemental stay is reduced and has oppositely-beveled corners 14, the inclinations of which are preferably on an angle of about forty-five degrees, and the said inclinations form, as it were, shoulders upon which the transverse brace members 16 (see Fig.1) are adapted to rest, the lower ends of which engage the ground, and the upper ends of the said brace 16 and the stay may be readily secured by suitable wire fastenings, as shown.

By forming'the supplemental stay. of two sections it is manifest that when the two sections are joined, as shown in Fig. l, the said stay will be of a suitable height to provide for a high fence for horses or other large stock, the lower or metallic foot portion entering the ground and forming a solid bearing for the lower end of the stay. When thus fitted in place, it is obvious that should at any time the sections of the fence become slightly loose and it is desired to make the strands of the said fence taut it is onlynecessary to slightly elevate the brace-stay and place a rock or other similar object under the lower end of the lower member 14, as shown in Fig. 1.

When it is desired to use the stay on a low fence for small stock, the lowermost member 14 is detached, and the foot 15 is then inserted into the ground, it being understood that in this form of fence should it be desired to take up a slight slack in the fence-section it is only necessary to lift the member 14 and place a rock under its lower edge.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

it is thought the advantages of my invention will be readily apparent.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In at'ence of the kind described, the combination with the end posts. the pickets, and the strands fixedly secured to the said pickets; of a stay comprising two sections, each section having a pendent ground-penetrating member, the penetrating member of the upper section being detachably secured to the upper end of the lower section, as specified.

2. In a fence of the kind described, the combination with the end posts, the pickets, and

the strands fixedly secured to the said pickets; of a supplemental brace or stay, consisting of a wooden upright, and a metallic penetrating member fixedly secured to the lower end of the said upright and projected beyond the said end, and a detachable wooden section adapted to be fixedly connected to the projecting end of the metallic member of the other wooden section, and when fitted in place to form practically a continuation of the firstnamed wooden section, and a metallic penetratin g member secured to the second wooden member, and arranged, when the said wooden member is fitted in place, to form a continuation of the metallic member of the first-n amed Wooden section, substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

JAMES W. HAMMETT. Witnesses:

L. E. MoVAY, E. E. TROTTER. 

